We make a decision who gets visas: PM

In a statement reminiscent of John Howard's "I will determine who comes to this country" pledge on asylum seekers. "The government I lead is one where Australia makes conclusions on who it issues visas to or not. The Liberal Party is now saying that when it comes to Australia's visa policy we've got to get a authorize slip from another country, in this case China."

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman and deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop has accused the Rudd government of "bungling" the issue of the visa to Ms Kadeer and of "failing to work usefully with China".

She told The Weekend Australian that the Coalition was not criticising the decision to give Ms Kadeer a visa, but rather the way the joint relationship had been mishandled.